Andrews hospital opens imaging center

Published 7:00 pm, Thursday, March 13, 2008

- Hospital addition is named after Dr. Brian and Sue Gordon in honor of their contributions to the medical community.

ANDREWS - The Dr. Brian and Sue Gordon Imaging Center was opened at Permian Regional Medical Center on Wednesday. More than 100 people, including state Rep. Buddy West, R-Odessa, attended.

"We were full," Director of Marketing and Public Relations Tasa Watts said. "… We had a lot of support from the community."

The addition, which houses the hospital's diagnostic and radiology equipment, including a 64-slice CT scanner and MRI, cost just under $900,000. "This facility is a big project. It's a big thing for Andrews. It has the newest technology of any facility in the Permian Basin," Watts said.

The addition was named after Dr. Brian Gordon and his wife, Sue, for the contribution they have made to the local medical community. Dr. Gordon practiced medicine for 42 years, retiring in 2006.

"They have played a major part in how far the medical community has gotten in Andrews," Watts said.

Most of Permian Regional Medical Center's patients come from Andrews County, although it gets "quite a few from Hobbs and Lea County, N.M., and pulls some from Seminole, she said. Watts added many people feel they get to spend more time with doctors and nurses.

"We are seeing more and more patients from Midland and Odessa," Watts said. "We offer the same services and have just as good quality of care. We are a smaller community hospital, so we have a family touch."

Also, emergency room waiting times are shorter in Andrews.

"That has been a huge pull for us," Watts said.

BBC Construction of Waxahachie did the construction. The most recent addition to the hospital is Permian Residential Care Center, which opened in November 2004.

Erin Tresner, West's district director, said the legislator presented the hospital with a flag that flew over the Texas Capitol on Wednesday.

"We think it's a fabulous facility. I know Andrews is very proud of it. We're very happy for Andrews. It's a state-of-the-art facility," Tresner said.

West, who used to live in Andrews with his wife, Shirley, in the early 1960s, appreciates the Gordons' service to the community.

"Buddy really loves that community. They (he and Shirley) respect Dr. Gordon and his wife very much. They were there out of friendship and love for the community," she said.